The term “power equipment” is used throughout this disclosure in a generic sense to encompass any equipment that converts a first type of energy or power to a second type of energy or power. For instance, one type of power equipment generates mechanical power by using at least one of electrical energy, kinetic energy, fuel energy, hydropower, nuclear energy, solar energy, pneumatic energy and mechanical power, etc. Examples of this type of power equipment include electric motors, diesel motors, hybrid engines, pumps, windmills, and so on. Another type of power equipment generates electrical power by using at least one of petroleum energy, chemical reactions, mechanical power, kinetic energy, hydropower, pneumatic energy, nuclear energy and so on. Examples of this type of power equipment include power generators, alternators, etc. The term “stationary power equipment” refers to all types of power equipment excluding power equipment that is installed onboard of vehicles and used to provide power to move, drive or propel the vehicles, such as automobiles, trains, airplanes, yachts, rockets, trucks, etc.
Some types of stationary power equipment, such as pumps or electrical power generators, are installed in remote locations or distributed over a large area, without technicians or operators on site. Although regular visits and scheduled checks may help uncover malfunctions or errors in the equipment, the visits and checks are costly and time-consuming. Once an error is suspected, a technician usually needs to spend a long time performing various tests on the equipment to determine the symptoms and operation status of the equipment, in order to identify the type of, and causes to the error, and needed steps to fix the error.
Some fixes may need replacement parts. In some cases, the technician may also need to consult specifications or technical manuals to perform needed procedures to repair the equipment. However, the replacement parts and the technical manuals usually are unavailable at the site. Consequently, a second visit to the defunct equipment is necessary to bring the needed parts and/or technical manuals in order to perform the needed diagnostics and fixes.
Furthermore, certain errors or malfunctions may cause serious damages if they are not uncovered, or if certain remedies are not performed soon. However, malfunctions or errors may occur between scheduled visits or checks without being known, which may cause seriously consequences.
Therefore, there is a need for an easy way to obtain data related to the operation of stationary power equipment, to assist technicians performing maintenance works without the need of performing excessive tests. There is also a need to notify technicians about errors or malfunctions of stationary power equipment as soon as they occur. There is also a need for stationary power equipment with self-diagnostic capacities, such that information related to possible causes to malfunctions could be isolated by the equipment.